Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region

Monday, November 17, 2008, 4:00 am ET - 05:30 am ET

Pakistan lies at the nexus of one the world’s most complicated geopolitical regions—one plagued by poverty, nuclear proliferation, and global terrorism. Pakistan will pose one of the most daunting foreign policy challenges for the incoming Obama administration. While militant bombings capture headlines, Pakistan’s economy is on the brink of failure, presenting a major challenge to the democratic civilian government in Islamabad. These multiple internal challenges extend beyond Pakistan’s borders and have a wide-ranging impact on regional and global stability.

A new Center for American Progress report, Partnership for Progress: Advancing a New Strategy for Prosperity and Stability in Pakistan and the Region, examines the multiple factors threatening the security and stability of Pakistan and outlines a comprehensive strategy that moves beyond the short-term, military-focused, bilateral approach that has characterized U.S. policy towards Pakistan for decades. It aims to map out a set of recommendations for addressing not only growing militancy in Pakistan, but also Pakistan’s economic crisis and weak civilian institutions. Moreover, it recognizes that U.S. influence in Pakistan is limited and recommends an increasingly multilateral approach, with Pakistanis in the lead.

Please join featured discussants Jonah Blank, Steve Coll, and Bruce Riedel as they comment on this new report, as well as offer their insights on the multiple challenges facing U.S. national security and U.S. policy toward Pakistan.